Pacific Salmon Treaty

The Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST), signed by Canada and the United States in 1985, provides the framework through which the 2 countries work together to conserve and manage Pacific salmon. Pacific salmon are highly migratory and, over the course of their lifecycle, fish originating in the rivers of one country are often subject to the fisheries of another. A high degree of bilateral cooperation is required to limit the harvest of one country’s salmon by the other and to help ensure conservation.

For First Nations in B.C. and Yukon, Pacific salmon are extremely important to their cultural, social, and economic identities. Salmon are iconic species for many British Columbians and Yukoners, and play a key role in the broader economy, contributing to local jobs and businesses in the recreational and commercial fishing sectors, including in many remote communities throughout coastal B.C. and Yukon. The Treaty includes a commitment by Canada and the United States to carry out their salmon fisheries and enhancement programs to:

• prevent over-fishing and provide for optimum production
• ensure that both countries receive benefits equal to the production of salmon originating in their waters

In addition to the broad principles and objectives, Annex IV of the Treaty contains a number of fishing chapters. These chapters are essential to the functioning of the PST and set out the specific conservation and harvest sharing arrangements for stocks and fisheries. Each country is responsible for managing its own fisheries in a way that is consistent with the Treaty.

Pacific Salmon Treaty renewal and current recommendations from the Pacific Salmon Commission

The original fishing chapters in Annex IV (1985) expired in 1992. Between 1992 and 1998, Canada and the U.S. were unable to reach agreement on new fishing arrangements. In 1999, government-to-government negotiations between the 2 countries resulted in successful renewal of long-term fishing arrangements under the PST.

In 2008 and 2018, the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) recommended new 10-year agreements to the Governments of Canada and the United States for the conservation and sharing of Pacific salmon. The product of intense negotiations, the agreements advanced science-based conservation and the sustainable harvest of salmon migrating across the U.S.-Canadian border.

The new fishing regimes contained in Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Annex IV of the Treaty are in force until 2028, with regular PSC review of stocks status and regulatory effectiveness throughout that period.

Preparation for the 2028 renegotiations between Canada and the United States has started. Formal renegotiations and consultations are expected to occur between January 2026 to fall/winter 2027.

Related materials

The following materials provide more information about the PST process.

• Coded wire tagging program
• Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC)
• Pacific Salmon Treaty document (2019) (PDF)
• Interactive dashboards: infographics, charts, and graphs related to salmon and fisheries

Contact us

DFO.PacificPST-PacifiqueTSP.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca